Should lawmakers give up on statewide smoking ban?

A proposal in the Legislature to ban smoking in most Texas bars and restaurants has been snuffed out again.

According to the AP, “House lawmakers had tucked the ban into a spending and school finance bill, but Senate negotiators wanted it out and it was declared dead.”

Image by m4r00n3d via Flickr

Again from the AP, “The Texas proposal would have banned smoking in places licensed by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and by state and local health departments, with exceptions for charitable bingo halls in small counties, veteran social halls, pool halls and tobacco bars.”

Supporters say the ban could save some of the estimated 50,000 people nationwide who die each year from second-hand smoke.

Opponents say the ban is too restrictive and violates the rights of business owners to set their own rules.

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Whaddya think?

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Should the ban be introduced in the next session of the Legislature, or should lawmakers give up on it?

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